What Is The Best Time To Book Holiday Travel?

Holiday travel can be an expensive endeavor as so many try to visit loved ones or take an exciting vacation to close out the calendar year. With that in mind, here are a few tips on how to save money when booking Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year trips.

Best Time To Book Thanksgiving Flights

Google Flights recently crunched the numbers and determined that the optimal booking window for flights around Thanksgiving is from 36 to 74 days before Turkey Day. On average, the travel aggregator finds that booking 52 days out offers the cheapest fares, which is right after Labor Day.

If you’re a last-minute traveler, you may also be able to scoop up a deal from seven to 14 days before departure. While the seat selection and flight times may leave something to be desired, you can still make it in time for the turkey carving.

Best Time To Book Christmas Flights

Christmas may offer more flexibility than Thanksgiving as many schools and businesses go on holiday break for a week or two. Simultaneously, late December is peak travel season, and you can experience award flight blackouts and fierce competition for cheap fares.

Searching for fares from 20 to 88 days before departure should leave you in good shape and avoid overpaying. To the surprise of some, 22 days before Christmas might be the best time to book a trip.

As a result, you can wait until early December to finalize your travel plans over Christmas break. This leeway allows you to browse Black Friday and Cyber Monday travel deals for potential savings opportunities.

Best Time To Book New Year’s Flights

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day flight discounts can be tricky to spot, but you should consider grabbing your ticket in either the first week of December or the week before you go. This holiday weekend usually marks the final days of Christmas vacation, so many travelers are heading back home to return to work and school.

At the same time, budget travelers are heading out in the first week of the new calendar year as prices are usually lower and there are smaller crowds.

Other Tips To Book Cheap Flights

Booking in advance is the most consistent way to find the best price and flight times.

Compare Fares During The Week

Even when you’re booking early, visiting the airline website or a travel booking site from Monday through Thursday can help you find potentially cheaper rates than if you wait to buy your ticket on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Additionally, flying during the week instead of on the weekends can also help you save money. However, if the holiday falls on a weekday, note that it may disrupt this pricing strategy.

Consider Alternate Airports

If there are several nearby airports to depart from or fly into, compare rates for potential savings. It only takes a few extra minutes to conduct a different search.

Depending on where you are going, flying to a different airport may not be a significant detour, whether a friend is picking you up or you’re hiring a rideshare. The price difference can be surprising as airlines may discount specific routes to attract interest. Or, there may be more carriers, which leads to pricing competition.

Final Thoughts

Booking a month out is usually the latest you should wait to book holiday travel unless you want to take your chances with last-minute savings. While airlines begin selling tickets a year before departure, you’re usually safe from inflated prices if you start your search process within three months of packing your bags and hitting the skies.

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